Hegemony and the Radicalisation of Democracy. An Interview with Chantal Mouffe

Abstract

Thomas Decreus and Matthias Lievens: The concept of hegemony is central throughout your work. In a recent publication in Constellations, Stefan Rummens argued that there exists an ambiguity in your ideas about hegemony and democracy. Following Lefort, he claims that in a democracy, a fundamental distinction should be made between the people as a whole and a particular majority that is in power. This majority can never claim to fully represent the people. He argues that the logic of hegemony, as you and Ernesto Laclau analysed it in Hegemony and